Wednesday, June 23, 1999

Dawn arrived clear and cool with little wind. Test #5, a land triple with two retired guns and an honor, was held in a field a few mile south of McCall. There was considerable ground fog and a heavy dew as the test materialized. However, it burned off and warmed up rapidly as the sun rose.

Three sets of guns were positioned in a rolling, grassy pasture which had several dikes, ditches and low spots winding through it. All birds used during the test were ducks. A set of guns on the left angled a dead bird back to the right falling on a knoll 220 yards from the line. Next, a set of guns nearly 180* to the right, threw another dead bird to the right, near the base of several tall bushes, 162 yards out. The third set was located between them, but tight to the left set. They were on a dike to the left and shot a flyer to the right over a water filled ditch where it fell in a pasture 188 yards away. As the dog was sent from the line, the outside guns retired. There was an honor to the right.

Early dogs fared well without wind, but later dogs had difficulty winding the falls as variable winds did not aid them. Most handlers took the flyer, left bird, then the right; but there were variations. Changes in cover, winding ditches, and retired guns challenged dogs and several handled on a mark. There were NO breaks on the honor.

The picturesque test concluded at 7:00 pm with dog number 81. In all, 19 dogs(25 percent) handled on these marks. Later callbacks listed at headquarters and the workers party. The following dogs were not called back for the 6th Series: 1,4,9,23,33,35,45,57,69,104 and 105 leaving 62 dogs to run the Sixth, a water blind in the area of the first series. The first dog for series 6 will be #15.

GALLERY COMMENTS :

"Early dogs did well today, only one handled."

"Consistent flyer."

"Many "banana'd" the left mark, several others took the channel on as well."

"Judy Spitz (Judy's Cook House) provided a wide variety of breakfasts, lunches, and snacks from daylight till dark. Definitely one of the best in recent years. She has been invited to do the NRC Trail this fall."

"Didn't hear anyone suprised by the callbacks. "

"Five of the ten dogs dropped during the water blind had not handled before."

"The gallery Tuesday was treated to a show by a master "Fisherbird". A local Osprey caught repeat fish out of the water blind. Idaho is like that!"

"The crew four-wheeled the dew off the grass in the morning after the test dogs. Perhaps more of an excuse to race the quads around before the start of the test. Good time to lighten the mood."

"Mountain winds have been light and variable. Luck will always be a factor in this game!"